| Colonel Fitzwilliam Lends a Hand - Conclusion |
| PART XI Anne and Richard had been married for nearly a week, but he had not returned to her chamber since the wedding night. They spent their days amiably, visiting acquaintances, riding a phaeton out to the country, and talking. They talked quite a bit, in fact, and Richard realized that Anne had a great deal of wit that had been smothered during life with Lady Catherine, but which had blossomed during her stay in Hertfordshire. He made her smile and laugh, and their ease with each other grew daily. The familiarity ended at bedtime, however; each night he walked her to her chamber, kissed her hand, and bid her adieu until morning. She would prepare herself for bed each night with the hopes of hearing a knock that never came. Her frustration was great; everyday her affection for her husband grew, but he still seemed to regard her as merely a duty. At last, on her fifth straight lonely night, she made a plan to change her situation. "Anne, I have just had a letter from Darcy. He and Elizabeth mean to marry on Saturday. Do you wish to attend?" he asked during supper the next evening. "Oh yes, that would be lovely! Can we make the arrangements on such short notice?" He smiled that devastatingly gorgeous grin that made her melt every time. "I have already arranged it my dear. We leave morning after next, then return to Bath for the rest of our stay on Monday. Will that suit?" Anne nodded her agreement with a smile. After the meal, Richard walked Anne to her chamber as usual, but before he could walk away, she placed her hand on his arm. "Richard," she said softly. "Yes my dear?" She took a deep breath. "Will you come to me tonight?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why� I� had not� you mean-?" "Yes, will you come to my chamber tonight?" He took her hand in both of his. "I do not wish to force your hand, Anne. I know this is an awkward situation, and I do not wish to make you uncomfortable by placing you in a situation you do not wish to be in." Anne lifted her chin resolutely and looked him in the eye. "I do wish it." Richard's surprise was great; he had taken her request of solitude the first night to mean that she was not a willing participant in the duties of the marriage bed. He knew not how to reply, so only stared at her mutely. She sighed. "Richard, I know that this marriage was not entered into with our hearts. But since our wedding night, I have come to feel for you a� warm and tender affection that goes beyond the bonds of family. I wish to truly be your wife, not only in name. I know you do not love me, but I would like to try to change that, if you will give me the opportunity." Her speech finished, she averted her eyes to the floor and blushed deeply. Her speech had been extremely forward; she had propositioned her husband, bared her heart, and declared her intention to win his heart. If he rejected her, she could not bear the mortification. Fortunately, rejection was the farthest notion from his mind. "Anne, I had no idea you felt this way," Richard replied with astonishment. "Had I known your heart, I would have come to you before. It is true that the circumstances of our marriage were less than favorable, but I too wish to make it one of mutual admiration and respect. My feelings are not so different from yours� I will not call it love, for that is a word I will not use lightly, but it is a deeper affection than I could ever claim before. I will happily join you tonight if you will have me." Anne looked up at him with a radiant smile on her face that brought a similar one to his. "I would be happy if you would join me every night whilst we are in Bath," she replied shyly. Taking her face in his hand tenderly, he leaned in and kissed her gently. "Shall I see you in half an hour then?" "Yes, thank you," she whispered. He opened the door to her chamber for her, kissing her hand before departing for his own. As soon as he had gone, Anne closed the door and leaned against it with her eyes closed. His response had been much more than she had dared expect. He would come to her; he wished to come to her! Excitement and anticipation were making her giddy, so she set about getting ready and trying to calm herself by keeping the night ahead of her out of her thoughts for the moment. Richard entered his chamber with a wide smile. He liked this forward Anne; he liked how her face had glowed when he told her his feelings; he liked the sweet blush that had perfused her cheeks when she expressed her own so eloquently. Their relationship would be different after tonight, and he anticipated nothing but improvement in every way. As he untied his cravat, he whistled an off-key tune to keep the nervousness away. At the appointed time, the soft knock on the door separating their bedrooms alerted Anne to Richard's presence. "Enter," she called out, and the door opened to reveal Richard in shirt and breeches. She rose to meet him, stomach fluttering wildly. He kissed both her hands, his eyes asking for permission to continue. Her warm smile was all the assurance he needed; their marriage truly began as their lips met. * * * * * * * * * * * Elizabeth rose before dawn the day before her wedding, her mind too occupied with the thought that it was her last morning as a Bennet to sleep late. She quickly dressed and went outside to see the sunrise. Looking to make sure that no one was nearby to see her, she broke into a run towards the grove. Winded from her sprint, she came to a stop at the stone bench past the archway and threw herself down in laughter. After several minutes of quiet solitude, she began to feel that it had been far too long since she had last seen her fianc�. She figured that by the time she had walked the three miles to Netherfield, he would surely be up, for he was an early riser as well, and perhaps they could have a few moments to themselves before the busy day that was ahead. A tiny smile crept onto her lips as she recalled the various little trysts they had had in the last several days; stolen kisses in a corridor, very long strolls in the woods� it had been a diverting way to pass the time, to say the least. As she walked in the direction of Netherfield, she recalled the delightful sensations he always stirred in her, and was so distracted by her daydreams that she did not see the object of her fantasies until they bumped into each other. "Elizabeth!" he cried in surprise, catching her before she fell backwards. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I was distracted by my thoughts I suppose," he said with a slight blush, perhaps implying the nature of those thoughts. All the while he continued to hold her against himself. Elizabeth had not stopped laughing since running into him. "It appears, sir, that you were not the only one distracted, for I did not see you until the moment of impact, I'm afraid." She smiled up at him, eyes sparkling with amusement. He smiled back, her glowing cheeks and somewhat wild hair stirring memories of the first time he had seen her walking to Netherfield. He had been surprised and intrigued by her independence, and been bewitched by the sparkle of her eyes even then. "This seems familiar to me darling; though the last time we came upon each other on this path, I was not fortunate enough to be able to take you in my arms," he teased. She laughed even more, recalling that meeting months ago. "You are correct sir. Had you attempted it then, I believe you would have found yourself in a great deal of pain, for you were certainly not as much in my favor then as you are now!" she teased back. "I am most grateful for your change of heart," he whispered, leaning in to kiss her. She kissed back quite eagerly, always happy to respond to his amorous advances. "Perhaps we should continue this somewhere more private my love," he whispered, tickling her neck with his breath. She shivered with pleasure and nodded her agreement. He took her hand and led her to the small pond in one of the more secluded areas of Netherfield's park. "May I tell you a secret?" he whispered. "Since returning to Netherfield, I have been to this pond after every evening that I see you." "It is a lovely spot. I see why you like it." He smiled to himself, knowing that she did not realize his meaning. "It is lovely indeed� but that is not why I come here." She raised an eyebrow in question. "You must promise not to tell anyone, for it is most improper," he teased, "but I in fact come here to swim; I find that it helps cool the passions you fire in me, my love." "Is that so? I am quite shocked! I hope you are quite alone when this occurs," she replied, arms crossed in false anger. "Physically, yes; but in spirit you are always by my side." "You are quite the gallant sir! If I did not know better, I would believe you were attempting to romance me!" Darcy pulled her into his arms kissed her. "Rest assured madam; it is my life's work to romance you." She smiled sweetly at him and brushed his lips with hers. "I love you." Without saying a word, Darcy led Elizabeth to a sort of bench that had been carved out of a log. Before she could take the seat next to him, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her before she could protest. They remained in this position for quite a while until, as was often the case, Darcy pulled away. "I believe I could use a swim at this very moment," he breathed. Elizabeth's eyes sparkled with mischief at this thought. "Well, sir, I will certainly not keep you from what I am sure is very beneficial exercise. I will see you at the church later this morning!" She moved to hop off his lap and walk away, but he held her tightly. "What! Wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" he asked with feigned shock. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "What satisfaction canst thou have right now, sir?" she replied, playing along. Darcy gave her a soft kiss. "Why, the exchange of your love's faithful vows for mine." She lightly fingered the curls around his face and traced her finger along the outline of his jaw. "I gave thee mine before thou didst request it," she whispered. "But I never tire of hearing it," he replied, breaking the pattern before leaning in to kiss her passionately again. After several heated moments, Elizabeth broke away first. "Fitzwilliam, isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? After all that has occurred, I don't wish to meddle with our good fortune." "I suppose you are right my love, and there is still much to do; we will both be needing a hot bath after this." She gave him a quizzical look. "After what?" He grinned wickedly. "After this!" he yelled, and in one smooth motion, jumped into the pond with Elizabeth in his arms. "FITZWILLIAM DARCY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? LOOK AT ME, I'M ALL WET!" Elizabeth raged. She really did not need to point this out, for Darcy had been quite admiring her wet dress clinging to her figure as he laughed heartily. She could not stay angry for long, though, and soon joined in the laughter, realizing how ridiculous they both looked. Although wetness does become him quite well�... Suddenly her laughter stopped and her eyes widened when she realized that Darcy was in the process of removing his coat and cravat. He had not bothered to put on a vest since he would have to change anyway, so in no time at all he was only in his shirt. The thin white fabric did not leave anything to the imagination, and it was all Elizabeth could do not to stare at his muscular form. Darcy reached for her and pulled her close again. "I'm sorry darling, I couldn't resist. I do hope you will forgive me," he said, not sounding terribly repentant at all. "I must say though," he continued when she did not reply, "I am very pleased with the results." He kissed her forcefully, pressing their bodies together and making it quite clear that the swim had not fulfilled its purpose. Elizabeth could not resist running her hands along his shoulders and back, his current state of undress reminding her that tonight was their wedding night and they would be seeing much more of each other. Her body tensed slightly at that thought, and Darcy, noticing the change, stopped his kiss. "What's the matter Elizabeth?" he asked with concern. "Oh, nothing," she brushed him off. "I was just thinking that while we are here playing in a pond, my family is waking and wondering where one of the brides has gone!" she joked, attempting to hide the true course of her thoughts. He looked as if he did not fully believe her, but decided it was best not to question her. "I suppose I must let you return to Longbourn to prepare for the wedding. I don't want my bride to smell like a pond!" he teased. "I might say the same for the groom!" she laughed, and pushed him down so she could run out of the pond. He ran after her playfully, but she was able to escape. "I will see you at the church sir!" she called out with a deep curtsy, then ran off in the direction of Longbourn. Darcy stood looking after her with a smile until she disappeared, then returned to Netherfield to prepare for the happiest day of his life. * * * * * * * * * * * The carriage ride from Bath to Hertfordshire was done at a leisurely pace with a stop in London, and early on the morning of the wedding Anne and Richard pulled into the lane leading to Netherfield. Their recent nights together had brought them closer together, and affection was quickly growing between them. They spent most of the ride sitting close together, holding hands and exchanging feathery kisses. They were almost sorry to interrupt their solitude, but this was a wedding that could not be missed. The carriage stopped in front of the steps of Netherfield Hall, and Richard helped Anne out. Mr. Bingley walked out to greet them. "Fitzwilliam, Anne, it is a pleasure to see you! Please do come in and have some breakfast!" "Thank you Bingley, we appreciate your hospitality. Are you ready to be wed?" Fitzwilliam replied. Bingley's face broke into an even wider, goofier grin. "I believe I have been ready since I first saw my lovely Jane," he replied with a dreamy gaze. "I have been dressed since 5 o'clock this morning! Darcy, on the other hand, seems to still be in bed! I don't know how he can contain himself on this morning!" "You are mistaken Bingley, I have been up since 4 this morning," replied a deep voice from the doorway. "I have been out in the park. Could you please call for a bath for me?" Darcy stepped into the corridor, and much to everyone's surprise, he was wet from head to toe and smelling rather like stagnant water. "Hello Anne, Fitz. I trust you had a good journey." "Yes, excellent," Fitzwilliam replied. "May I ask why you are in this, um, condition?" Darcy blushed slightly. "I� I went for a swim," he replied. "I think that is obvious enough. Excuse me," and before another word could be said, he disappeared up the stairs. * * * * * * * * * * * * Later that same day, two handsome but nervous-looking young men stood at the altar of the Longbourn church. Bingley had a permanent and goofier than usual grin on his face; Darcy looked even more serious and grave than usual, but the light in his eyes showed that he was more than content to be where he was. It seemed to the gentlemen that it was taking an eternity for their brides to arrive, but at last the music signaling their entrance started and the ladies themselves began walking up the aisle on the arms of their father. There were two sharp intakes of breath as the gentlemen watched them. Darcy still could barely believe his luck; Elizabeth would be his wife at last. It seemed too good to be true, in fact, and throughout the ceremony he half-expected something horrible to happen, like someone to come rushing in to claim that Elizabeth was already married, and that her insane husband lived in the attics of Longbourn or something. Fortunately, the ceremony went off without a hitch, and in under an hour the priest declared them to be man and wife. When those words were spoken, relief and joy coursed through Darcy's body as he had never felt before. Slowly, his lips curled up into a grin, and by the time he had walked back down the aisle with the new Mrs. Darcy by his side, it had grown into a full-blown, ear-to-ear smile that rivaled even Bingley's. The wedding breakfast was a simple affair at Longbourn. Everyone approached the happy couples with heartfelt congratulations, which unfortunately did not give them much time to enjoy each other's company. Darcy slipped away from Elizabeth when he noticed Sir William Lucas heading their way, and found a quiet corner to stand in for temporary relief. Though nothing could bring him out of his good humor, his patience for society was being sorely tested, especially since all he wanted was to be alone with his new wife. Elizabeth finally managed to extricate herself from the jovial clutches of Sir William, and spied Darcy standing alone with a strange smile on his face. She approached him and whispered, "I can guess the subject of your reverie." He smiled, but did not look at her. "I should imagine not." "You are considering how you hate being in society for so long, and wish to run off to Pemberley with your lovely wife and never return," she teased. "Though your conjecture is not totally wrong, I assure you that my mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which seeing two people falling in love can bestow." He nodded his head in the direction in which he had been looking. In another corner of the room, Richard Fitzwilliam was standing very close to his wife, holding her right hand to his lips and planting soft kisses on her palm, their eyes locked in an affectionate gaze. Anne used her other hand to tuck a wayward curl behind his ear, and let her fingers trace their way along his cheek before resting it on his arm. Elizabeth smiled at her own dear husband. "I am very happy for them." "Yes, after all Richard has done for me, I am glad that he will find his own happiness." "You know, if it had not been for him, this day may never have come. I very much disliked you before your sudden change of heart at Rosings," Elizabeth teased. Darcy's face grew serious. "Please do not speak of that time Elizabeth. My behavior to you then was unpardonable; I cannot think of it without abhorrence. I can only imagine what may have occurred had my cousin not beaten sense into my head. I actually believed that if I proposed then, you would be wishing, expecting my addresses! The truth would have been a rude awakening indeed. I am not sure I could have survived your rejection; indeed, the very thought of living without you by my side is unbearable even now." He closed his eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out. Elizabeth brushed his cheek with her fingertips. "Fortunately, I have no intention of allowing you to live that way. You shall have me by your side always, probably more so than you might wish!" He laughed softly and gave her his first kiss as her husband. "That, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, is an assertion that I will gladly test for the rest of my days." THE END |
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